End of the Road

The story is set against the social upheaval of the 1960s, including Kennedy-era turmoil, civil rights protests, and Vietnam War protests. It tracks a trajectory through the decade, culminating in late-1960s imagery such as the Apollo 11 moon landing, which frames the film’s closing mood.

The narrative unfolds across a string of concrete settings that mirror the protagonist’s descent. It begins at a busy railway platform before plunging into the surreal confines of The Farm, a controversial institute where therapy becomes theatrical. Jacob also inhabits a bleak, abandoned factory and spends time at a nearby college campus, with moments by a quiet lakeside that contrast the surrounding chaos.

🧠 Mental Control

The Farm uses therapy as a means of control, forcing patients to enact fantasies rather than heal. Jacob’s awakening is shaped by Dr. D’s remobilization doctrine, illustrating how authority can mold a vulnerable mind. The film probes the ethics of psychiatric experimentation and where care ends and coercion begins.

⚖️ Ethics & Exploitation

Abortion, sexual manipulation, and power dynamics reveal the fragility of consent under coercive conditions. Doctor D’s methods cross medical and legal lines, turning private pain into a public display. Rennie’s fatal outcome underscores the human cost of unchecked authority. The narrative questions whether any end justifies morally compromising means.

🌐 Societal Upheaval

Set against the 1960s’ public unrest, the film uses broad social turmoil to reflect intimate disintegration. Jacob’s decline mirrors a nation grappling with ideals, conformity, and rebellion. The ending montage ties personal catastrophe to a broader historical moment, suggesting a world that keeps moving forward even as some lives unravel.